The Neighbor's Cat
by tatiep
Summary: Loosely influenced by a tumblr prompt: Dean recently moved in, but a cat keeps wandering in to his apartment. He quickly meets his owner and befriends him.
1. Chapter 1

Sweat drips down the side of my face as I complete unpacking the last box. I wipe it off and go to the kitchen for a drink. This apartment is an improvement from the trashy apartment my brother and I shared for a while. He told me a few months ago that he was going to move in with his fiance, so I needed to find a new place. It was a small studio pad in an apartment complex. I'm not the type to go door-to-door with a plate of cookies and gossip with the neighbors. My plan was just to finish up unpacking and head out to find a local bar. I've found out through my twenty-six years of life that all small towns have a bar.

After a well-needed drink from the tap, I head to my closet for a change of clothes. As I switch into a clean shirt, the sounds of scratching and tapping come from the door. What the hell? I pull the door open and see a small grey cat strut in. I just stare in disbelief while the cat makes itself comfortable on my Craigslist couch. I walk over to it and it stares back at me. It has a collar, so it must be one of the neighbor's pets. There wasn't any cars parked out front, and I didn't hear anybody walk into the other rooms.

"Well, I guess you're sticking around until someone comes back." One of them has to know who he belongs to. I slowly bring my hand to his face and let him smell me. He lets me reach for his tag. The apartment address is engraved on the front, but there is no name of the owner or the cat for that matter. Well that doesn't help. It rubs his head against my hand.

I should probably set out some water and maybe some food. While I might not have had a pet cat, I grew up around dogs. I take a small bowl from the kitchen and fill it with water. I set that on the floor with some leftover chicken. It came back over as soon as I was done, and I let it wander around while I watched T.V. with a beer. Guess, I'm staying in tonight.

I wake up to the sounds of knocking. I try to move, but the cat seems to like taking a nap on my chest. Nudging it onto the couch, I head to the door. I open the door to reveal a small man. He's disheveled and tired. Wrapped in a blue-plaid jacket and plain jeans, he seemed to have come back from a hard day.

"I hate to bother you so late, but my cat wandered out again. Have you seen him?" He asks deadpan. It doesn't even look like he is looking at me. He is staring into the inside of the apartment.

"Yeah, he made his way in a while ago. I don't believe-"

"You aren't Gabe." Finally he locks eyes with me. I give a confused look before responding.

"I just moved in. Name's Dean." The cat walks brushes past my leg and claws at the man's pant legs. He leans over and scratches the cat's head. He gives me another strange, crazed look.

"I was waiting for him to leave. The guy was obnoxious whenever he dropped by for a talk." I can't tell if that is supposed to be a compliment, but this guy was off. He seemed so stiff, and his blue eyes kept piercing mine. He tilts head and manages to somehow widen his eyes.

"My name is Castiel. Welcome to the seventh circle of hell." He reaches out for a handshake and I meet him with my own hand.


	2. Chapter 2

Castiel warned me that his Smokey wandered around the complex while he was at work. Sure enough he came to visit plenty of times. A couple of days after our first encounter, Sam called.

"Hey, Sammy. How are you and Jess?"

"We're doing good. She is stressing over finals and picking a date for the wedding, but we're happy. How is the new apartment?" Jessica seemed like a good girl for Sammy. After more than two years of dating, I'm happy that he can settle down. Now he can live the stable life I tried to give him growing up.

"It's pretty good on the home front. Better than the last shithole." I hear a chuckle on the other side.

"That's good to hear." He pauses before taking a serious tone.

"Hey, Dad's anniversary is coming up. Were you planning on coming up to visit." _Shit. I didn't even think about that._

"Yeah, I can come up there." Dad died last year, a stroke. It was quick. After the move, I didn't even think about the anniversary being this soon.

"Okay, Jess and I are looking forward to the visit."

"See you soon, Sam." I hung up the phone. I stare at the blank screen. _How could I have forgotten?_ I don't know how long I stood there, but eventually I decided I needed to go out. I grab my favorite leather jacket and shut the door behind me. As I lock the door behind me, I see a familiar face in the hallway.

"Hey, Cas. Where are you off to?" I might as well be polite to the one neighbor I know.

"Hello, Dean. I just wanted some fresh air." _I guess he isn't one for conversation._

"I was just going out. If you wanted to come with and show me around town." Castiel stares at me with a confused look and pierces me with eyes once again. There is a few moments of silence.

"If you don't want to that's fine-"

"Yes, that would be fine." I stop. _I didn't think he was the type to say yes to that. Honestly, I thought he was a shut-in._ I don't know what I was expecting, but I still am not convinced he has walled himself in his room.

"Okay then. Let's get to it." His wide-eyed look must be glued on his face because that is the only expression he gives me. The disheveled look is mild in comparison to when we first met. His old work clothes were switched to a dark grey pull-over and sweats. Castiel hesitates, then starts walking with me to the door.

We get in my prized Impala. He sits awkwardly in the passenger side. Cas looks around and takes in my old CD case and cassette tapes that are on the floor.

"So what type of place do you have in mind?" He asks patiently as I start the car. _Truthfully, I didn't think you would say yes, so I'm coming up with this as I go. We could go to a bar, but he doesn't look like the drinking type_.

"I haven't eaten yet, so if there is a bar that has good food 'round here, that would be great." He thinks it over.

"I know a place, but I haven't tried it. Take a right at the stop sign and I can take you from there." I pull out and get myself ready for the crazy night ahead of me.

* * *

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading. Please comment, so I know how I can improve with my writing. Hope you enjoy!


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